Silence
by PheoMask
Summary: A kit is born to his family, cozy in ShadowClan's nursery. Safe. His fate is unknown to all, only noticed. Only predicted. The quietest of his litter; will he be the strongest, the most feared? Or the calmest with no cat to be intimidated by him? StarClan's fate is unknown for this kit, and what is coming. No cat hears their warnings. There is only silence.
1. Allegiances

**ShadowClan**

Leader- Oakstar: A deep, brown, mackerel tabby tom with dark copper eyes

Deputy- Beetail: Creamy, ticked tabby tom with bright emerald eyes

Apprentice, Sedgepaw

Medicine cat- Juniperflower: A fluffy lilac she-cat with white paws and underbelly; blue eyes

 **Warriors**

Amberheart: Pure ginger she-cat with hazel eyes

Apprentice, Foxpaw

Acornwhisker: Dark ginger spotted tabby tom with golden eyes

Blizzardcloud: A slim white she-cat with specks of grey lining her pelt, and icy-blue eyes

Apprentice, Flamepaw

Ashstorm: Silver mackerel tabby she-cat with green eyes

Waspclaw: Black tom with white toes and yellow eyes

Cedarnose: Solid grey tom with a white muzzle and amber eyes

Grassfur: Lilac tom with hazel eyes

Owlwhisker: Mostly brown seal-point she-cat with ocean blue eyes

Snakefang: Dark brown spotted tabby tom with amber eyes

Thornseed: White-and-Brown patched tom with hazel eyes

 **Apprentices**

Sedgepaw: Wiry cream she-cat with one green eye and one blue eye

Foxpaw: Golden tom with amber eyes

Flamepaw: Golden she-cat with amber eyes

 **Queens**

Quietstep: Black she-cat with white splotches and green eyes

(Mother to Waspclaw's kits: Silentkit, a black tom with white splotches and a full white tail; yellow eyes, Fogkit, a white she-cat with pink-ish eyes, and Thornkit, a black tom with white toes and green eyes)

Hollystorm: Grey-And-Black she-cat with green eyes (Expecting Acornwhisker's kits)

 **Elders**

Cherryflower: Lilac she-cat with blue eyes

Tornear: Black tom with one ear missing and amber eyes

 **ThunderClan**

Leader- Icestar: White tom with green eyes

Deputy- Oatfur: Brown tom with orange eyes

Medicine cat- Brookleaf: Brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Lightningpaw

 **Apprentices**

Lightningpaw: Golden mackerel tabby tom with amber eyes

 **SkyClan**

Leader- Nettlestar: Dark grey tom

Deputy- Pebbledawn: Grey classic tabby she-cat

Medicine cat: Beetlewing: Brown tom with dark brown spots

Apprentice, Leafpaw

 **Apprentices**

Leafpaw: Tortoiseshell she-cat

 **RiverClan**

Leader- Mintstar: Blue-grey tom

Deputy- Mallowtuft: White she-cat with grey splotches and green eyes

Medicine cat- Berrywish: Cream tabby tom

 **WindClan**

Leader- Harestar: Lilac tom

Deputy- Breezewhisker: Black tom

Medicine cat- Finchpool: Ginger she-cat

 ***note:**

 **Lilac cats are pale brown cats! They are not purple. I also described what kind of tabbies each tabby was to avoid any confusion. If you are confused with the cat markings, just look them up! c:**


	2. Prologue

The full moon dwindled above. Five cats emerged from the shadows, cautious of their surroundings.

None spoke a word. The only sound that stood before them was the light crunches of the grass below their paws. In the middle of the clearing stood a rock. Great, mighty, and tall. It shone the most in the moonlight, making it an outcast to its shadowy brothers and sisters. The five cats made their way up the great rock. It was large enough for all of them; they stood high and proud.

Others emerged from beneath the bramble thicket and thorny bushes. They, however, stood at the foot of the rock. They did not climb like the five cats who had come before them. The largest of atop the rock, a proud, dark grey tom, opened his mouth and spoke: "With every cat here, we shall let the gathering commence!"

It was loud; loud enough that the whole forest shook, every animal the size of a badger down to the tiniest mouse was awoken and about. Yet, he did not care. His food for his cats would return at dawn.

"Thank you, Nettlestar," a blue-grey tom snorted. "You've probably scared all of the prey away." The dark grey tom, Nettlestar, turned to the blue-grey tom.

"It will return later, Mintstar. Besides, I do not believe RiverClan needs land prey now, do they not?" He challenged. Mintstar rolled his eyes. "Fish cannot be scared out of the river! Should you RiverClan cats know?"

"That's enough boasting about how much prey your clan flourishes with, Nettlestar," rumbled a brown, mackerel tabby tom. His copper eyes glinted in the moonlight, and he glanced down at the cats who sat below him. "I will go first, if that is alright?" His gaze flicked to the other clan leaders, who nodded.

"Like always, Oakstar," Mintstar grumbled. "Why not let another clan go first? Is ShadowClan news that important?"

Oakstar did not respond to the grumpy RiverClan leader's comments. "ShadowClan is flourishing as always. One of our queens, Quietstep, has given birth to three healthy kits: Silentkit, Fogkit, and Thornkit. A warrior, Hollystorm, has also moved to the nursery, as she is expecting." Murmurs rippled among the other clans, and Oakstar narrowed his eyes. "ShadowClan is stronger than ever!" He hissed. "My clan grows and spreads like flowers."

"Like it always does," the ThunderClan leader, Icestar, hissed. "You'll run out of food with all those kits and come begging us! I won't offer anything to you," he curled his lips into a snarl, and Oakstar's fur stood on ends.

"ShadowClan will flourish with such a great hunting season," Oakstar snapped. "Just as any healthy clan should." His tail flicked, and the tabby nodded to the WindClan leader, who stood beside him. "Would you like to go next, Harestar?"

The pale brown tom opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a small voice emerging from the crowd: "Um, excuse me? I have something important to say!" It was a young voice of a tom, it quivered slightly. Oakstar's gaze flicked to the bottom of the rock, next to where Icestar stood. A golden tabby tom was standing beside ThunderClan's deputy, and any cat could clearly see he was shaking.

A brown tabby she-cat pushed her way past some of her clanmates, "I'm sorry! Lightningpaw, don't interrupt! This is a gathering," she scolded him.

Lightningpaw flattened his ears."I need to announce it, Brookleaf. It's important, a message from StarClan to all the clans!" Oakstar's eyes narrowed, and the ShadowClan leader turned to Icestar.

"Do your apprentices know respect?" The dark brown tabby growled. The white tom's tail twitched.

"Of course they do!" He hissed. "Brookleaf, you know to teach Lightningpaw proper manners!" The ThunderClan medicine cat's ears flattened.

"Let the apprentice speak," Harestar meowed. Nettlestar and Mintstar nodded in agreement. "However, our own medicine cats should have recieved this message if it is a message from StarClan." Harestar's gaze flicked down to a ginger she-cat, Finchpool. She didn't say a word, only stared in Lightningpaw's direction.

Icestar whipped around, then glared down at the medicine cat apprentice. "Well?" he spat. "What is so important that you have to interrupt the gathering?" Lightningpaw flinched at his leader's tone.

"W-Well, I recieved a uh, dream last night. It was a cat I didn't recognize. She only spoke a few words: 'Our tongues stolen, no sounds will be heard. Only silence will set freedom.'"

Oakstar frowned. His ears flicked, "Juniperflower," he meowed. The pale brown she-cat emerged from the crowd, staring up at her leader. The other leaders called upon their medicine cats as well. "Have any of you heard anything? Or has only Lightningpaw been given this message?" Oakstar hissed.

"I've only seen darkness," Beetlewing, the SkyClan medicine cat, meowed. "Leafpaw hasn't had any dreams since she became my apprentice."

"I haven't gotten anything either," Finchpool meowed. "I haven't gotten anything in moons." Brookleaf and Juniperflower murmured the same answer.

"Something isn't right, then," Oakstar growled. "Why has this apprentice brought this up at a gathering? What if this prophecy is fatal? Why should we have our cats be worried?"

"We can discuss this with our medicine cats later. We must continue with the gathering for now, and leave this message behind," Nettlestar meowed. "We will wonder about the silence, but currently it leaves us unharmed. It shall not be mentioned until the time comes. Now, Harestar, it is your turn to speak."


	3. Chapter 1

The black kitten bit back the painful cry as his littermates climbed over him. They stepped on his tail and crushed his back, only just to get outside. "Fogkit! Thornkit!" His mother, Quietstep hissed. You could hardly hear the she-cat coming, the tom nearly had a heart attack by her sudden mew. "Stop stepping over Silentkit. You know how much that hurts him." Silentkit's head rose, small whimpers coming from his mouth. The black she-cat cuffed his siblings on the ears, and then turned to face him. "Are you alright? Maybe you should go see Juniperflower. Can you walk?"

Silentkit shakily pushed himself up. "Owww," he whimpered. His paws ached horribly, he couldn't put pressure on them. Quietstep sighed, glaring at her other two kits. She licked Silentkit on the back, then grabbed him by his scruff.

"Juniperflower!" Quietstep called, carrying her son towards a den dug into the ground. Bramble thicket surrounded it, protecting it from intruders. The she-cat slipped into the den, and there stood, facing towards herbs, was the pale brown she-cat, Juniperflower. The medicine cat glanced up from her stocks, then turned towards Quietstep.

"Is something wrong, Quietstep?" Juniperflower asked. "Has your milk gone dry again?" she frowned, and Quietstep shook her head.

"I've been flourishing on milk like any other queen," Quietstep meowed. "Silentkit was trampled over again, so I was wondering if you could check him in case he's really hurt."

"Those kits of yours," Juniperflower sighed. "They're the biggest I've seen and they use that all just to hurt Silentkit, I swear." Quietstep placed Silentkit on his paws. He stared up at the medicine cat as she bent over and sniffed him. She ran her tongue along his spine, "Just a bruise." She glanced up at Quietstep. "Keep Fogkit and Thornkit under control, or his back is going to be broken and he wouldn't be able to become anything. It may fix, but it'll paralyze him." Quietstep nodded, then nosed Silentkit towards the entrance.

"You can go ahead and go play," she mewed. Silentkit stumbled out of the den, but turned back, sticking an ear in.

"I don't know, Juniperflower. I'm just worried for him, and there has been quite a gossip from the elders after what Lightningfur announced at that one gathering. The day after they were born. They are almost three moons, and Silentkit has barely grown an inch. He wouldn't survive out in battle, and I don't think any cat is trusting him. I should've named him something different!" Silentkit frowned.

 _Am I that bad? I'm only young, they can't hate a kit, right?_ He steps away from the den, then turns around to face the camp. Cats would glance at him every now and then. His tail twitched. It felt like they were watching his every step. He padded over to where Fogkit and Thornkit were, who were wrestling around. He let out a squeak as they bumped into him. He stumbled back, and then fell into the fresh-kill pile.

"Great! We're eating kits now?" A cream she-cat snorted. She stared down at Silentkit with her oddly colored eyes, then grabbed him by the tail and hauled him out. "You just ruined 90% of the stuff me and the other apprentices caught. Thank you, your kindness is heavily appreciated." Major sarcasm hinted in the annoyed she-cat's voice. "Not to mention the talk of the clan kits." Her eyes narrowed.

"I don't know what it's about," Silentkit mewed, "but I heard my mama say it's bad. Am I that bad?" The she-cat snorted.

"I'd imagine so. That medicine cat apprentice said StarClan's going silent, you're _Silent_ kit." Silentkit's ears flattened.

"Sedgepaw!" A creamy tabby tom padded up to her and Silentkit. "Have you attended to the elders yet?" he growled. "If not, why are you wasting your time taunting Silentkit?" Sedgepaw rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Beetail, everyone knows you don't trust Silentkit either," Sedgepaw growled. "And yes, I have attended to the elders, before you even asked!" Beetail rolled his eyes. He turned to Silentkit.

"Ignore my apprentice. I certainly do trust you, I trust every kit. A kit couldn't kill a full grown cat, anyhow. Plus, you've done nothing wrong. The elders are only spreading gossip about you. Don't worry about it. A Waspclaw and Quietstep kit is the most loyal kit in all of the clans." Beetail glanced back at Sedgepaw. "To make you busy, go tell Amberheart to take a patrol out with you, Foxpaw, and Ashstorm. If I get a bad report back about you, that means taking care of the elders for a week, no training." Sedgepaw muttered something then padded off.

Beetail turned back to Silentkit. "Thank you," he mewed. "I didn't like her, she was really mean." Beetail purred.

"Don't mention it. Apprentices, especially mine, can be a bit stubborn and grouchy. They think they're the boss of everyone, kits mostly." Beetail turned and grabbed a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. "I'm off to finish organizing patrols. If anyone else bugs you, call O'l Beetail over." Silentkit stared after Beetail as he padded away.

The kit turned back to face his littermates. "Fogkit, Thornkit?" he mewed. Both, who had finally stopped wrestling, glanced up at him. "Are- Are you playing anything? Can I join in?" Fogkit glanced at Thornkit with a frown. Thornkit muttered something to her, and she shook her head, then turned back to Silentkit.

"Sure, but what game would be play?" Fogkit asked.

"Ummm, hide and seek?" Silentkit asked. "It's the only one I can think of without anyone getting hurt." _Without_ me _getting hurt._

"Okay, Thornkit, you can be the seeker." She murmured something into his ear, then beckoned for Silentkit to follow. Silentkit followed his sister. "Are you hiding with me?" Silentkit shook his head. He stopped for a moment, glancing around the camp.

"Three, four, five...!" Thornkit yelled aloud. Silentkit glanced at his brother. He was counting and his paws were covering his eyes. The tom would sometimes fall over, but his balance easily returned. Silentkit then turned and headed towards the medicine cat den. Juniperflower wouldn't mind him hiding in there, would she? The herbs would disguise his scent, and then Thornkit could never find him!

Silentkit burst into the den. "Juniperflower!" He mewed quietly. "Can I hide in here? I want to win at hide and seek for the first time, so I thought the herbs would disguise my scent." Juniperflower glanced down at him, her whiskers twitching in amusement.

"As long as you don't trample on any of them," she purred. "The sun's been drying them all out, so I'm trying to collect as much fresh herbs as I can." She flicked her tail. "There, in the corner. You can hide there." Silentkit jumped away into the hiding spot the she-cat pointed him to.

It felt like countless hours until both of his littermates found him. Silentkit raised his head as Thornkit and Fogkit poked him. He had fallen asleep while they were searching for him. "Wake up," Fogkit mewed. "Mom says it's time to sleep."

"What took you so long to find me?" Silentkit whimpered. "I fell asleep, I probably slept for hours!"

"You disguised your scent so well we gave up," Thornkit responded with a shrug. "So we just played something else for the rest of the day. Now are you coming?" His brother prodded Silentkit with a paw, nearly knocking the tom over.

"I like it in here," Silentkit mewed with a yawn. "It's breezy and quiet, unlike the nursery. And it'll be louder when Hollystorm's kits will come, which might as well be now with how big she is." Juniperflower turned to the kits.

"He can stay in here if he wants," she meowed. "You two go shoo, Oakstar, Silentkit, and I are going to be talking in a moment." Juniperflower nosed the two kits toward the den's entrance. "Now shoo, Quietstep will be worried." The two kits mewed in complaint, but went anyway. A brown tabby tom slipped past them. He stared at Silentkit and Juniperflower, then flicked his tail.

"What am I needed for?" He asked.

"I wanted to request that I train Silentkit. I have thought about the prophecy and I believe he should become a medicine cat to help solve it," Juniperflower meowed. She glanced down at Silentkit. "Only if he agrees, however. I will not force him to take my path if he wishes to be a warrior. He can fulfill the prophecy either way, if he is the cat that is truly involved in it." Silentkit blinked, staring up at the two cats.

Oakstar stared down at Silentkit, "Well?" _Do I want to be a medicine cat? I like it in here, and I like being nice to cats. Plus all those big cats won't talk bad about me anymore! I'll be the best in the clan!_

"Yes, I want to be medicine cat!" Silentkit mewed.


	4. Chapter 2

Silentkit volunteered to help Juniperflower and other cats, but Juniperflower decided it was only best to help her unless others asked. She had told him, "Not all cats trust you yet, though you have decided to take the path of a medicine cat. When you do become my apprentice, be cautious, because there are cats out there that truly believe your life must be taken to fulfill the prophecy."

Silentkit himself, was scared of course, but never as much as his parents were. Waspclaw always offered to play with Silentkit first, and the warrior always chose out fighting games, or games where he was an enemy and Silentkit had to attack him. "No thank you," Silentkit would mew. "I'm strong enough to defend myself, papa. And, there will always be at least some cat willing to defend me," he had said with pride.

Yet, it didn't feel like it. _Do I really belong as ShadowClan's next medicine cat?_ Silentkit asked himself as he weaved inside the nursery. He dropped the wet moss on the ground, then Juniperflower shooed him out. "Stay out for now," she meowed. "Thank you for the water, though. Hollystorm will need it." Hollystorm cried in the background, and the medicine cat turned back to her. "Come on, Hollystorm," she urged. "Two more kits."

"I can't get two more kits out!" Hollystorm gasped. "This pain is unbearable!"

"Take your mind off it, then," Silentkit mewed. "You can chew on a small branch. I can get it for you!" His ears perked. Hollystorm stared at him for a moment, her breathing heavy and quick. She then nodded.

"Yes, please! Be a dear to me and go get one," she cried. Juniperflower narrowed her eyes at Silentkit, but then gave him an approving nod. She flicked her tail, and then Silentkit scrambled off. He padded over to the small bush growing next to the camp entrance, and poked his head into it. The kit placed his teeth lightly on one of the branches, and then snapped it off.

"Where are you going with that? To play fetch like a _dog_?" came a snicker. Silentkit glanced up to see the cream structure of Sedgepaw snickering down at him. His tail twitched.

"I'm giving it to Hollystorm. She needs it to keep her mind off the pain," he mewed. "We are cats, not dogs. You seem to have the intelligence of one, though," Silentkit grinned at his own joke, and then brushed past Sedgepaw, who was glaring after him. _Ten moons and she is still a big, stupid bully. I'm five and I'm_ way _smarter than her!_ That made Silentkit raise his tail in pride. Smarter than an apprentice!

He scrambled back to the nursery, and nearly flinched by the blood staining Hollystorm's nest. She wailed in pain, and Silentkit dashed up to her then dropped the stick. Juniperflower turned to him. "Thank you," she meowed. "Hollystorm, it's okay, one more kit, you got this. I'm not going to lose you, you are going to be with your family!"

Acornwhisker abruptly pushed through the nursery entrance.

"Is she alright?!" he mewed like a kitten with worry. His eyes were wide, then he turned to Silentkit. "What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be with your mother? I don't want _you_ handling my kits!" Juniperflower whipped around to face Acornwhisker.

"Out!" She snapped. "You aren't helping your mate by being in here. You'll only get in the way, unlike Silentkit, who's actually been helping me, thank you! For a kit he's far _more_ mature than _you_!" Acornwhisker flinched, then quickly slid out with a glare at Silentkit. Silentkit frowned, turning back to Hollystorm. Her breathing was heavy; the last kit finally slid out onto the nest, and Juniperflower cleaned and warmed it up. Hollystorm wrapped her tail around her newborn kits, tears stinging her eyes from the pain. Silentkit puffed his chest out. He was only a kit and he helped deliver some!

"Go and find your mother now, Silentkit. Thank you for your help." Silentkit scrambled outside of the den, but stopped and turned for a moment to listen to the hearing.

"Have you thought about making him your apprentice?" He heard Hollystorm ask. "He's mature for a kit, and did really well with helping out. He'd make a good medicine cat, and the clan would be sure to treat him as equal afterwards." Juniperflower let out a sigh.

"That's sort of what I'm hoping to happen. I've already asked him to be my apprentice, and he agreed. I also think if he is the key to... you know what, he should become my apprentice. But if he didn't want to be it, I wouldn't force him to take my path." Silentkit frowned. He was only asked because of the gossip going around? _Oh well, I wanted to be a medicine cat anyway. Even if Juniperflower didn't ask me, I was going to ask myself!_

The tom turned around and scampered off to Quietstep.

* * *

"Oh, Fogkit! You just messed your fur up again!" Quietstep hissed.

"All cats gather around for a clan meeting!" Oakstar yowled. Quietstep nosed her kits forward.

"Make me and Waspclaw proud!" She meowed.

"Today we have three kits becoming apprentices," Oakstar declared. Four heads poked out from the nursery. Silenkit glanced back, and Hollystorm was stumbling outside while her kits were piling on her. Silentkit held back a small giggle. The four kits had been trouble for her, and he had kittensat them all. Hollystorm and Acornwhisker had named them Stormkit, Darkkit, Squirrelkit, and Acornkit. He turned back to face his leader.

"Fogkit, Thornkit, and Silentkit, you will be known as Fogpaw, Thornpaw, and Silentpaw." Oakstar's eyes flicked around the camp. "Cedarnose, you will mentor Fogpaw. You are a strong and confident warrior, and I believe she will follow in your foot steps to be one of the best warriors in the clan." Fogpaw bounced off to her new mentor, and the two pressed noses. Oakstar then turned to face Thornpaw. "Owlwhisker, you will mentor Thornpaw." Oakstar raised his head to look at the seal point she-cat. "You are a brilliant hunter, and very loyal to your clan. I am sure you will pass down every skill you know to him." Thornpaw padded over to Owlwhisker, and flinched as she pressed noses with him.

Oakstar then looked down at Silentpaw. "Silentpaw, is it your wish to take the path of a medicine cat?" Silentpaw nodded eagerly. "Then Juniperflower, I trust you will make Silentpaw into a fine medicine cat, the next one of ShadowClan."

"I have an objection!" the black tom, Tornear, yowled. "How can he be a medicine cat after what we've heard? How can his ceremony be performed when our ancestors are-"

"Silence!" Juniperflower hissed. "Silentpaw will make a fine medicine cat, and StarClan will approve of my choice! They have never led us wrong before. Do not worry the clan because of some message you heard at the gathering moons ago." Her eyes flashed with anger, then beckoned Silentpaw. "Come. It has already been done." Silentpaw slid over to his mentor, heat nagging under his pelt as murmurs awoke when he passed. The tom glanced back at Oakstar, who had his eyes narrowed.

"Dismissed," he meowed, jumping down off the rock. Juniperflower nosed Silentpaw.

"Let's train," she mewed. "Don't let them bother you. You are ShadowClan's next medicine cat, whether they like it or not. You cannot be kicked from your position just for words that were spoken from a ThunderClan apprentice's mouth." Silentpaw nodded, glancing at Tornear. The elder was muttering angrily to his denmate, Cherryflower. When he noticed Silentpaw's eyes, his own narrowed, then the elder whipped around and stalked off. Silentpaw shuddered at the glint that shone in Tornear's amber eyes. Juniperflower turned to him, flicking her tail, then padded towards her den. He followed after, pondering about the future.


	5. Chapter 3

"Now what is this?" Silentpaw stared down at the brown herb Juniperflower nosed to him. He sniffed and felt it's texture for a moment, then looked back up at his mentor, confused. "Alder bark," she meowed, "it's used for toothaches. Remember it, you'll be quizzed later." The medicine cat apprentice nodded, studying the bark.

"Alder bark," he echoed, repeating its use in his head. _For toothaches, for toothaches, for toothaches._

"Next is this, then you can go and eat." Juniperflower dropped down some fuzzy leaves. "I want you to take this to Hollystorm. Do you know what it is?" Silentpaw frowned. _Take them to Hollystorm...?_ He thought for a moment.

"B..Borage? Borage leaves?" He asked. He had remembered the trips Juniperflower made with the leaves, thankfully. "They give queens extra milk. More milk."

Juniperflower nodded, "Good. It also brings down fevers. Hollystorm's milk has been going down since green-leaf started last half-moon. It's good to keep her milk flowing for her kits as a drought is starting, meaning there will be less prey for it to produce without the borage. Now run off, its your break time. Take that to her, first. Also, if you can, ask Beetail about organizing more hunting patrols." Silentpaw nodded, then grabbed the borage leaves and padded off.

It was a quarter moon after his and his littermates' ceremonies, and in three more, he was going to go to his first medicine cat meeting at half-moon! He bounced at the thought, getting to meet StarClan for the first time made his heart lurch. _I can just imagine it!_ He purred in delight, then slipped into the nursery. Hollystorm glanced up. Silentpaw observed her. It looked as if bags had been forming under her eyes, and she let out a yawn as she raised her head.

"Is something wrong, Silentpaw?" she asked, nearly mumbling. Silentpaw shook his head, and then set down the borage in front of the queen.

"I just brought this to you," he meowed. "Juniperflower says its good to keep your milk up with what seems to be a drought coming." Hollystorm narrowed her eyes down at the borage.

"But you should save it for other cats, shouldn't you? My milk is running just fine," Silentpaw shook his head, and nosed the borage closer to her.

"Would you want your kits to starve?" he mewed, staring down at the wriggling bodies. "I'm sure Acornwhisker wouldn't. If he were here, he would be demanding you to take the milk." Hollystorm stiffled a purr, then nodded.

"Fine, you got me at that." She bent over and lapped up the leaves, then rested her head back onto her paws. "They are growing so fast, and are starting to get up and about more often now. I don't think I have the energy anymore." Silentpaw purred in amusement, then started to back out.

"I'll let you rest. If you need anything, me or Juniperflower are always there." The black and grey she-cat flicked her tail goodbye, and then drifted off to sleep. Silent paw turned around and padded out. His gaze flickered around the camp. Patrols were still heading out for the first time. Sun-high had barely ended, and the deputy looked exhausted from ordering cats around for so long. Remembering what Juniperflower told him, Silentpaw padded up to the ShadowClan deputy.

"Beetail?" he asked, tilting his head. The creamy tabbed panted, glancing up at Silentpaw.

"Huh? What is it?" he asked.

"Are you alright? I know it's hot, but- you looked exhausted just by... speaking." Beetail nodded.

"I'm okay. It's just the heat is getting to me, I guess. I'm extra fluffy, and that's a lot for a ShadowClan cat," he teased. "Now, what did you need?"

"Juniperflower was wondering if you could send out extra hunting patrols. Something about... the numbers going down as the drought starts up. I'm not sure, but whatever her reasoning is, it could be important." Beetail nodded with a purr.

"The usual. She does this every green-leaf, I'd like to mention. No means to be rude, but she still looks so young despite being one of the oldest cats here. I'd never think it could be possible to look so youthful. I've even heard the past deputy complaining about how much she bugged him." Silentpaw's ears flicked, catching his eye on the faint blur of his mentor. He didn't realize she was so old and only now had taken on an apprentice.

"Well, um, I'm off to go eat before Juniperflower calls me for another training session. Just thought I'd let you know." Silentpaw turned away as Beetail dipped his head goodbye. The deputy got to his paws.

"Blizzardcloud! Take Flamepaw and Thornseed on a hunting patrol."

"I thought you already sent out all of the patrols," Blizzardcloud snorted as a complaint. Silentpaw glanced at the she-cat, then shrugged it off as she got into a mini argument with the deputy. He padded over to the fresh-kill pile, and to his dismay, most prey was shriveled up. He sighed, taking a frog, then padding over to the medicine cat den. The tom sat down, and then began to eat. His face wrinkled at the disgusting taste of the dry frog, _I probably shouldn't have picked something that is mostly wet._ Most prey in the pile were frogs anyhow.

"We should throw those out," Juniperflower meowed, slipping out of her den, "If no cat is going to eat them. They will only turn into piles of dust if we let them sit out into the sun any longer. I should not be suggesting this, but I don't want any cat to get sick from the taste of a dried out frog." Silentpaw nodded, feeling nauseous after eating the frog himself. He did, however, feel fully replenished.

"Are we doing anything else today?" He asked her. Juniperflower looked at him, then thought for a moment.

"I suppose I could show you where some of the herbs are found. Let me eat first, then we can go out. Let's just hope there is something refreshing in the pile than just frogs." Silentpaw watched his mentor pad off, imagining how the plants would look and the areas they would be found in. Maybe he would get to cross over territory today if they weren't found in ShadowClan territory, so he could see even more of the forest!


End file.
